Tent Review: Malamoo Xtra by Oztent

ramonortiz55

Adventurist
I have been looking for a ground tent for awhile now. Most of you realize that I already have
a roof top tent that I camp out of.



So the question is - Why a ground tent?

I wanted a ground tent for a few reasons:

1. I wanted to invite my younger siblings to our camping trips - Obviously, we couldn’t all
fit in the RTT, so I decided I needed to find a suitable ground tent.

2. I don’t have my RTT mounted at all times - If the wife and I want to get away, we can
always leave without having to setup the RTT on the 4runner or tacoma.

3. I am planning a multiday trip to White Rim Road in Utah - There will be NO basecamp.
Therefore, packing up a RTT every morning and setting it up every night can be a bit of a
burden.

Then enters my quest in the search of a good ground tent. I wanted something that was
fast and easy to setup. Something that I could put together and have me not regret leaving
the quick setup of an RTT behind.

I did a little bit of research: YouTube, Amazon reviews, Random Internet reviews of brands
like REI, North Face, Oztent, etc.

One thing I didn’t notice is many FORUM reviews.

So I decided to put one together.

I came across the Malamoo tent by Oztent :

They have 3 versions of it - Classic, Xtra (two available colors), and Mega.

Which to pick? - I reached out to Family Tent Camping - https://familytentcamping.com/

They helped me choose the Malamoo Xtra - Enough room for two people, plus a little more
for gear.

Okay, okay, enough of all the chit chat, show us the pictures! - Tell us more!

The tent weighs 8.5 lbs, sleeps three, and has a footprint of 9'10" (l) x 6'6" (w) x 4'1" (h)
It has an advertised setup and collapse of 3 seconds.

That is what sold me on purchasing the tent - quick setup according to the reviews
and youtube videos.

The tent packs up in a circular bag about 2 - 3 inches thick. The bag is about 36" diameter.
12 year old kid for comparison.



The bag has handles to be carried as a "shopping bag" or straps to carry as a "back-pack"
I do not suggest using this thing for hiking .. Wayyy too big.



The bag itself looks like its made of nice, well sewed material. Same fabric that tents are
made of.

Upon opening the carrying bag - The instructions on setup and collapse are found sewn
directly to the bag. I like this - I tend to keep paperwork of everything …then misplace it.
By having it attached, there are less chances of it being lost.



Close up of the instructions:



I literally pulled the tent out of the bag, placed it on the ground, and it sprung open.
Just. Like. That.

Very impressive - No hassling with any loose tent parts, no wondering if you can put
the tent up before sundown, no forgetting to leave parts at home.
Very minimal setup. It is literally a no brainer.






So first thing I did is roll up the entryway, this is held in place with straps and toggles:




This revealed a small area in front of the main cavity of the shelter.

Perfect size for storing wet gear, muddy shoes, backpacks, everything you DON’T want to
have inside the actual tent room.





Before I jumped in I decided to walk around and check how many anchor points it had.

5 total anchor points 3 on one side, two on the other.



The back end of the tent - Opposite from the entry way has the only window (not counting
the door) - Could this tent use more windows? In my opinion, yes. My wife thinks two
windows are enough.

One thing I did notice was that the rear window screen can't be opened.
Something that I am used to having on my RTT.

The other version, the Malamoo MEGA has windows on the sides, but I felt that tent was
a bit too big for me.



Now let's go inside:

Leave the shoes at the front door :) - I have a size 12 boot - for size.
Notice how the flooring isnt attached to the tent?

If this area is ever muddy from shoes, I could easily wash it out and just have the water
drain easily.



Inside the tent there are two pockets - one on each wall for keeping small articles. Phones,
keys, wallet, etc.



Here is a view towards the entrance - I am sitting with my legs stretched out - that's how
much room is in the tent!



Here is a view towards the window screen that can't be opened, legs stretched out.



I am 6'1" and can lay down in this tent BOTH ways and not touch the walls. Plenty of room
for up to three people or two people plus gear.

One thing I really do like about this tent is that the rainfly is actually attached to the whole
setup. No need to carry or attach the rainfly as a separate element during setup.

Here is a snapshot of how the rainfly and the tent are separate - even at the windows.

The gray fabric is the interior tent, the green fabric is the rainfly. I am laying down,
taking the picture from the bottom up:



How the rainfly is actually permenantly attached to the tent frame on the outside.
Its one complete fabric, per se.



I then decided to grab the stakes. The poles on the right are for the front awning which I will
show later.



Three stakes in the back:



Two stakes in the front:



Once the stakes were setup, I closed the windows and decided to give it a water test.
The window and front door close via a zipper and velcro system.



No one likes a dripping tent. So I wanted to make sure it was 100% waterproof.

I did this by putting my tent in the middle of my backyard sprinkler setup. I turned on my
water sprinklers for a good hour.

After the hour I stepped into the tent and it was COMPLETELY dry.



A bit of water in the front annex due to my boots, but no water was in there before I had
stepped in.



After a few hours of leaving the tent to dry, I decided to setup the awning.
This is being held by two poles, stakes, and string.





I did not collapse the tent, but there are a few youtube videos that show how to close it down.
It takes very little time closing it down and packing it up - another good thing about
this tent. No hassles in regards to taking it down.

In summary:

Good things about the Malamoo Xtra:

1. Quick to setup. The rainfly and the tent fabric are one. No need to fight with separate
systems.

2. Very roomy and the front annex was a feature that really motivated me to purchase it.

3. Waterproof - this was a big deal for me. I am well aware that lawn sprinklers are no
comparison to a full natural rainstorm, but at least it gave me some confidence in regards
to taking it out camping.

4. The tent is appealing. It is very well made and presentable. No awkwardness, not too big
or too small. Height is great. I can sit up in the tent and my head not touch the top.

Things that could've been better about the Malamoo Xtra:

1. Another set of windows. The tent can be setup up with the windows towards the wind
to allow a gentle breeze at night, but knowing weather.. The wind direction can change.

2. The rear window screen would be nice if it could be opened. Again, this is a personal preference my wife doesn’t really think much of it. As long as there is a bug screen to keep critters out and the air flowing in.

The issue with the few windows could've been solved if I exchanged this unit and picked up
the Malamoo MEGA since it has side windows - it is larger, something I didn’t need at the moment.

Overall, I like the tent and I have decided that the good outweighs the bad (which is pretty
much just personal preferences).
 
My 27 year old daughter has one. Meets her needs perfectly. Good piece of gear.
 
I will monitor this site to see what you think after your trial. I just sold a RTT and want also something easy to set up. This looks promising.
 
I have the Big 5 Sporting Goods version of that design that I bought a few years (ok, a LOT of years) back. It worked pretty well, always great entertainment trying to refold it. The one thing I did like about it was it is it's the same diameter as my spare tire, a couple of bungies around the tent/tire and it was packed. I haul it along when we have grandchildren along with us these days, just in case there is a breakdown on the trail and I need to get the grandchild some shade, or protection from bugs. Unpack it, throw it in the air and poof, its set up!
 
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We used a different brand (Oztrail?), but very similar design in the UAE for a couple years. I can't offer much of an opinion on how waterproof it was, but set-up and tear down were quicker and easier than any other tent I have used, and it held up well in some truly ferocious wind. We were able to get a big 2-person air mattress in there with room left over for a 120-lb dog. I will say that it wasn't as comfortable, or as quick (when you factor in bedding and tying it down), as the couple RTT's I have used, but the weight, form factor, etc... are tough to beat.

The folded size and shape worried me at first, but we never had trouble finding a place to put it. We usually stuffed it in the crack between the folder rear seat and the back of the front seats. I like Bob's idea of putting it on the tire as well.

Ours is in a shipping container in Savannah right now, but will hopefully see some 'Merican dirt in the next few weeks.
 
That's what I like to hear.

Planning a trip to white rim road and I think I am taking this over the RTT

Hi Ramonoritz55, I just finally pulled the trigger on this for the 2018 camping year. How has yours been now that you have had time to use it?
 
Hi Ramonoritz55, I just finally pulled the trigger on this for the 2018 camping year. How has yours been now that you have had time to use it?
I have used mine for about 14 nights so far - Its been thru some rain storms, strong canyon winds, and cold cold desert nights. I've had no problems with it.

I love how fast it sets up and collapses for storage.
 
I never would have thought I would own three tents:

1. A light backpacking tent
2. A roof top tent for longer expedition type trips
3. This Malamoo for camping out at state parks and quick short getaways.
 
I never would have thought I would own three tents:

1. A light backpacking tent
2. A roof top tent for longer expedition type trips
3. This Malamoo for camping out at state parks and quick short getaways.

I can relate! I just sold my rooftop tent (Magganlina Airtop) since I sold that SUV it was on. But I also have a backpacking tent. Now that my malamoo is comingI will sell my REI (4 man tent) that will be soon replaced.

Nice to cover all bases for camping for sure!

Thanks for the info on the tent, glad I pulled the trigger then!
 
Was on the fence looking for reviews on this tent, awesome write up! Really appreciate the time and effort you put into it!
To explore more information and review about camping tents I would recommend you to use: camptentsreview.com
 
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